Immortal's Paradox

Lei Chen's first sensation was pain—sharp and unrelenting, tearing through his body as though he'd been thrown into the heart of a battlefield. When his eyes fluttered open, he was greeted by darkness. The air smelled of damp earth and rot, with the faint tang of blood lingering nearby. A weight hung from his wrists and ankles. Chains. Rusted iron dug into his skin, their cold bite sharp enough to pull his mind into focus.

"Where... where am I?" Lei muttered, his voice hoarse, the words barely audible over the pounding of his heart.

Memories surged like a tidal wave—memories of a past life. He had been Lei Chen, a university student, about to join B.Tech and plan out his life. But faced an untimely death while sleeping. He could feel the regret though, the regret of not living a complete life, the regret of not having a girlfriend and not seeing his mom smile, if he ever graduated in the future of his past life.

And now, he was here. Wherever "here" was.

The darkness around him shifted as a faint torchlight flickered in the distance, illuminating a damp stone room crowded with figures in tattered clothing. They were huddled together, their faces pale and gaunt, their eyes hollow. Servants.

Realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. He wasn't just chained—he was enslaved.

"Hey, new guy!" a voice hissed. Lei turned his head to see a boy no older than twelve glaring at him from the shadows. His face was smeared with dirt, and his skinny frame made Lei's own malnourished state feel less dire. "Stop daydreaming, or the overseer will notice. You don't want him noticing."

Lei's lips parted to respond, but the clank of iron boots silenced him. A burly man in black robes entered the room, a whip coiled at his side. His eyes scanned the prisoners with the predatory calm of someone who enjoyed his job far too much.

"You filth know the rules," the overseer growled. "Fail to meet your quota, and you're meat for the beasts."

Lei swallowed hard as the room fell into an oppressive silence. He could see the fear etched into every face, the resignation of those who knew there was no escape. But Lei wasn't ready to accept such a fate.

As the overseer's footsteps faded, Lei turned his attention inward. Something felt... different. There was a hum in his mind, a presence he couldn't quite explain.

Host recognized, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his consciousness. Nanospirit Core activating. System initializing.

Lei froze. Was he hallucinating? No, the voice was real—it was addressing him. Something every manhwa lover had longed for, in his old world.

"Is this the activation of my cheat?" Lei whispered under his breath, his voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and hope.

Integration complete. Host compatibility: 98%. Capabilities: Limited due to environmental constraints.

"Dayumn! Can you get me out of these chains?" he muttered, his voice a hushed plea.

Analyzing restraints. Iron composition: Weak. Recommended action: Apply torque at stress points.

Lei clenched his fists. He wasn't sure if this was some sort of cruel joke or divine intervention, but he wasn't going to waste the opportunity. Channeling his limited strength, he twisted his wrists against the chains, applying pressure where the Nanospirit indicated. The rusted iron groaned under the strain before snapping with a loud crack.

"Quiet!" the boy beside him hissed, his eyes wide with terror.

But it was too late. The sound had drawn attention.

The overseer's heavy footsteps returned, his whip uncoiling as he stormed into the room. "Who dares—"

Before he could finish, a streak of black fur darted from the shadows, landing squarely on the overseer's face. The man let out a scream as claws raked across his skin.

"Get it off me!" he roared, stumbling backward.

Lei blinked in shock as the creature landed gracefully beside him. It was a cat—a sleek, black feline with piercing golden eyes that seemed far too intelligent.

"Did you just save me?" Lei asked, incredulous.

The cat sat down, licking its paw with an air of indifference, "Save you? Don't flatter yourself, human. I simply despise his kind."

Lei's jaw dropped. The cat had spoken—not out loud, but directly into his mind.

"Who... what are you?"

The cat's golden eyes narrowed. "I am Mao, a celestial being of immense power. And you, mortal, owe me for this act of charity."

"Charity?" Lei's voice rose in disbelief. "You clawed his face because you felt like it!"

Mao flicked its tail, its expression one of pure arrogance. "Details, details. Now, I suggest we leave before reinforcements arrive."

The overseer, still writhing on the ground, groaned in pain, but Lei knew Mao was right. His chains were broken, and this was his chance to escape.

"Fine," Lei said, shooting the cat a wary glance. "But you're explaining everything later."

Mao leapt onto Lei's shoulder, its claws digging in just enough to make its dominance clear. "Let's hope you survive long enough to hear my story, mortal."

As they slipped out of the dark room and into the night, Lei felt a strange mix of terror and exhilaration. He didn't know what awaited him outside these walls, but one thing was certain: he wasn't the same helpless servant he had been moments ago.

And with Mao by his side, he suspected his life was about to get a whole lot more complicated.